Average First Fall Frost Dates for Selected North Carolina LocationsHorticulture Information Leaflet

Average First Fall Frost Dates for Selected North Carolina Locations

Frost forms on solid objects when the water vapor in the atmosphere changes from its vapor phase to small ice crystals. Frost is not frozen dew. If you see frost than you know that the temperature of the object it is on reached 32°F or lower. However, the air temperature, measured at five feet above ground in the vicinity of this object, is likely several degrees higher. Conversely, not every air temperature recorded at or below 32°F means frost formed on solid objects in the area. In spite of this, the average date of the last spring air temperature of 32°F has traditionally been called the last frost date. The dates presented in this leaflet are the average date of the last recorded air temperature at 32°F or lower for the period 1951 - 1980. The standard deviation is an important statistic to consider along with the average date. The standard deviation tells the amount of dispersion around the average. The average date minus one standard deviation gives the date before which there is only a 16% chance of frost. A frost will occur before this date about twice in every 10 year period. For example, in Albemarle a frost will occur before October 13 (the average date of Ocotber 25 minus one standard deviation of 12 days) about twice in every 10 year period. The average date minus two standard deviations gives the date before which there is only a 2% chance of frost. A frost will occur before this date about twice in every 100 year period. For example, in Albemarle a frost will occur before October 1 (the average date of October 25 minus two standard deviations of 12 days) about twice in every 100 year period.

Below the first fall frost data are listed by Station Name (Table 1) and by County (Table 2).

There are several published references for North Carolina climate data. These references are available from the North Carolina State University Department of Communication Services, Publications, Box 7603, Raleigh, NC 27695-7603; (919) 515-2861.

Weather and Climate in North Carolina AG-375 ($2.50)

Probabilities of Dry Periods in North Carolina AG-411 ($2.00)

Risk of Frost and Freeze Damage for North Carolina Fruit Crops AG-403 (free)

Low-Temperature Probability Data for North Carolina AG-403S ($3.00)

Growing Degree Days in North Carolina AG-236 ($3.00)

Table 1. Average first fall frost date for North Carolina by station (1951-1980)

Table 1. Average first fall frost date and its standard deviation for selected North Carolina locations listed by station name. Data are for the period 1951 - 1980.

County

Station Name

Average Date

Standard Deviation (days)

Alamance

Burlington

November 1

11

Anson

Wadesboro

November 4

12

Ashe

Transou

October 1

10

Avery

Banner Elk

October 2

11

Brunswick

Southport 5 N

November 12

14

Buncombe

Asheville

October 23

11

Black Mountain

October 17

10

Bent Creek

October 9

11

Enka

October 20

10

Burke

Morganton

October 18

9

Hickory

October 30

11

Cabarrus

Concord

November 2

12

Caldwell

Lenoir

October 21

11

Carteret

Morehead City 2 WNW

November 19

13

Chatham

Siler City 2 NW

October 15

10

Cherokee

Andrews 2 E

October 10

10

Chowan

Edenton

November 11

12

Cleveland

Shelby 2 NNE

October 25

9

Columbus

Whiteville 7 NW

October 31

11

Craven

New Bern FAA AP

November 9

13

Cumberland

Fayetteville

October 31

9

Dare

Hatteras

December 11

15

Davidson

Lexington

October 31

12

Durham

Durham

October 24

10

Edgecombe

Rocky Mount 8 ESE

October 25

10

Tarboro 1 S

October 28

11

Gaston

Gastonia

November 1

14

Granville

Oxford 2 SW

October 28

12

Guilford

High Point

October 30

12

Greensboro Pump Station

October 28

10

Greensboro WSO AP

October 27

10

Haywood

Canton 1 SW

October 10

9

Waynesville 1 E

October 8

10

Waterville 2

October 26

12

Henderson

Hendersonville 1 NE

October 12

9

Hyde

New Holland

November 11

11

Iredell

Statesville 2 NNE

October 19

12

Jackson

Cullowhee

October 11

9

Johnston

Smithfield

October 25

10

Jones

Maysville 6 W

October 24

13

Lee

Sanford 8 NE

October 22

10

Lenoir

Kinston 5 E

October 29

13

Macon

Coweeta Exp Station

October 7

8

Highlands 2 S

October 22

12

Franklin 1 SSW

October 12

8

Madison

Marshall

October 15

10

Hot Springs 2

October 21

10

Martin

Williamston 1 ENE

November 3

12

McDowell

Marion

October 31

13

Mecklenburg

Charlotte WSO AP

November 5

13

Nash

Nashville

October 30

11

New Hanover

Wilmington WSO AP

November 14

13

Wilmington 7 N

November 3

12

Northampton

Jackson

October 26

8

Orange

Chapel Hill 2 W

October 23

10

Pasquotank

Elizabeth City FAA AP

November 7

12

Pender

Willard 4 SW

November 1

12

Pitt

Greenville

October 30

10

Polk

Tryon

October 29

11

Randolph

Asheboro 2 W

October 31

12

Richmond

Hamlet

October 24

8

Robeson

Lumberton 6 NW

October 28

12

Rockingham

Reidsville 2 NW

October 27

11

Rowan

Salisbury

October 26

10

Rowan Research Station

October 20

8

Sampson

Clinton

October 29

11

Scotland

Laurinburg

November 1

11

Stanly

Albemarle 4 N

October 25

12

Surry

Mount Airy

October 15

9

Transvylvania

Pisgah Forest 1 N

October 10

7

Brevard

October 8

9

Union

Monroe 4 SE

October 25

10

Vance

Henderson 2 NNW

October 23

9

Wake

Raleigh NCSU

Noember 5

13

Raleigh 4 SW

November 1

14

Raleigh-Durham WSO AP

October 27

9

Washington

Plymouth 5 E

October 25

11

Watauga

Blowing Rock

October 11

9

Wayne

Goldsboro 1 SSW

October 30

9

Wilson

Wilson 3 SW

October 29

10

Yancey

Celo 2 S

September 27

18

Table 2. Average first fall frost date for North Carolina by county (1951-1980)

Table 2. Average first fall frost date and its standard deviation for selected North Carolina locations listed by county. Data are for the period 1951 - 1980.

Station Name

County

Average Date

Standard Deviation (days)

Alamance

Burlington

November 1

11

Anson

Wadesboro

November 4

12

Ashe

Transou

October 1

10

Avery

Banner Elk

October 2

11

Brunswick

Southport 5 N

November 12

14

Buncombe

Asheville

October 23

11

.

Black Mountain

October 17

10

.

Bent Creek

October 9

11

.

Enka

October 20

10

Burke

Morganton

October 18

9

.

Hickory

October 30

11

Cabarrus

Concord

November 2

12

Caldwell

Lenoir

October 21

11

Carteret

Morehead City 2 WNW

November 19

13

Chatham

Siler City 2 NW

October 15

10

Cherokee

Andrews 2 E

October 10

10

Chowan

Edenton

November 11

12

Cleveland

Shelby 2 NNE

October 25

9

Columbus

Whiteville 7 NW

October 31

11

Craven

New Bern FAA AP

November 9

13

Cumberland

Fayetteville

October 31

9

Dare

Hatteras

December 11

15

Davidson

Lexington

October 31

12

Durham

Durham

October 24

10

Edgecombe

Rocky Mount 8 ESE

October 25

10

.

Tarboro 1 S

October 28

11

Gaston

Gastonia

November 1

14

Granville

Oxford 2 SW

October 28

12

Guilford

High Point

October 30

12

.

Greensboro Pump Station

October 28

10

.

Greensboro WSO AP

October 27

10

Haywood

Canton 1 SW

October 10

9

.

Waynesville 1 E

October 8

10

.

Waterville 2

October 26

12

Henderson

Hendersonville 1 NE

October 12

9

Hyde

New Holland

November 11

11

Iredell

Statesville 2 NNE

October 19

12

Jackson

Cullowhee

October 11

9

Johnston

Smithfield

October 25

10

Jones

Maysville 6 W

October 24

13

Lee

Sanford 8 NE

October 22

10

Lenoir

Kinston 5 E

October 29

13

Macon

Coweeta Exp Station

October 7

8

Highlands 2 S

October 22

12

Franklin 1 SSW

October 12

8

Madison

Marshall

October 15

10

Hot Springs 2

October 21

10

Martin

Williamston 1 ENE

November 3

12

McDowell

Marion

October 31

13

Mecklenburg

Charlotte WSO AP

November 5

13

Nash

Nashville

October 30

11

New Hanover

Wilmington WSO AP

November 14

13

Wilmington 7 N

November 3

12

Northampton

Jackson

October 26

8

Orange

Chapel Hill 2 W

October 23

10

Pasquotank

Elizabeth City FAA AP

November 7

12

Pender

Willard 4 SW

November 1

12

Pitt

Greenville

October 30

10

Polk

Tryon

October 29

11

Randolph

Asheboro 2 W

October 31

12

Richmond

Hamlet

October 24

8

Robeson

Lumberton 6 NW

October 28

12

Rockingham

Reidsville 2 NW

October 27

11

Rowan

Salisbury

October 26

10

Rowan Research Station

October 20

8

Sampson

Clinton

October 29

11

Scotland

Laurinburg

November 1

11

Stanly

Albemarle 4 N

October 25

12

Surry

Mount Airy

October 15

9

Transvylvania

Pisgah Forest 1 N

October 10

7

Brevard

October 8

9

Union

Monroe 4 SE

October 25

10

Vance

Henderson 2 NNW

October 23

9

Wake

Raleigh NCSU

Noember 5

13

Raleigh 4 SW

November 1

14

Raleigh-Durham WSO AP

October 27

9

Washington

Plymouth 5 E

October 25

11

Watauga

Blowing Rock

October 11

9

Wayne

Goldsboro 1 SSW

October 30

9

Wilson

Wilson 3 SW

October 29

10

Yancey

Celo 2 S

September 27

18

Author:

Katharine Perry

Horticultural Science

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